First vortex entry into a perpendicularly magnetized superconducting thin film

J. Gutierrez; B. Raes; J. Van de Vondel; A. V. Silhanek; R. B. G. Kramer; G. W. Ataklti; V. V. Moshchalkov

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.88.184504

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First vortex entry into a perpendicularly magnetized superconducting thin film

J. Gutierrez, B. Raes, J. Van de Vondel, A. V. Silhanek, R. B. G. Kramer, G. W. Ataklti, V. V. Moshchalkov

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.184504 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

In type-II superconductors, the flux-free state (Meissner state) may be invaded by vortices bearing quantized flux once H is above the lower critical field Hc1. However, the actual first flux penetration does not occur at Hc1 due to the presence of a surface barrier and the fact that the Meissner state may also exist as a metastable state up to a larger (superheating) field. In this work we determine the field for the first vortex penetration in superconductors by directly imaging the first vortex threading a superconducting Pb film with antidots. We find that the first vortex penetration occurs when the surface superconducting currents reach the depairing current, locally breaking superconductivity and allowing a vortex to nucleate.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
Pb Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	7.2	Pressure not reported	unknown